Love in a Time of War: Part Two: Far Across the Sea
by Gillen1962
Summary: The rescue mission is on: The forces of the factions move across Malkooth. Heroes say Good bye. Love is declared and romance blooms. And in the middle of war the Sons of Alan Quartermaine, are side by side for a final battle


18

_Love in a Time of War: Part Two: Far Across the Sea_

Drew Cain had to admit that the night vision goggles that Basil DeLestrade had given him were top of the line. As he moved through the tree line of the Accursed Mountains, he only hoped that the Russian Made Kalashnikov was just as good.

He and his girlfriend Captain Serena Baldwin U.S. Army had been captured while looking for her estranged sister Livve who had joined the Basil Cult one of three factions in the on-going Civil War in the Balkan Nation of Malkooth. The forces lead by the would-be Vampire Basil DeLestrade, had been pushed back to a family owned castle on the edge of the border of Kosovar. The forces of the provisional democratic government were now closing in on them. Drew's mission was to distract the provisional forces enough to allow Serena, Livvie Basil and the rest of his troops to vacate the castle and attempt one last futile stand at a place designated Reactor One on the Malkooth Coast. Well that was the mission he had been given by Basil in exchange for Serena's life. Drew's mission was to get he, Serena and if possible Livvie out of the country and as far away as possible.

He had convinced Basil to let him sleep for eight hours, to be at his best. The provisional forces seemed in no hurry to storm the castle. Then at dusk he had set out. Now some three hours later Drew was navigating closer and closer to the Provisional forces

"How will we know when we are to move from here" Livvie had asked on behalf of Basil as Drew said goodbye to Serena.

"Wait for the fireworks, when you see them go." Drew had said.

He had overheard the conversation between Serena and Livvie as he vanished into the dark.

"Do you have faith he can do this?" Livvie had asked.

Serena had chuckled. "Drew Cain is a Navy Seal. I don't need faith that he can do this. I have assurance that he will."

Drew spotted the far perimeter guard. He was not his twin brother Jason. He had never killed for money and each death at his hands haunted him. But he was a soldier and he had a duty. If there was some way, he could complete the mission and let this man live he would have taken it, but that was not possible. He snuck behind the guard reach his hands up quickly and twisted the man's neck. He felt the snap and gently lowered the man to the ground. He grabbed the guard's radio and weapons and moved on.

Prime Minister Shukar of the Democratic Government of Malkooth slammed his phone receiver down so hard it shook his desk. He turned to his aide- de camp and said. "Explain to me how we can control the reactors, the power supply, the military, the capital and the money and yet David Gray has assembled a force to march towards Reactor One?"

"He has the Sword Sir."

Shukar glared at him.

"Royalty will out" Commented Molly Cassadine Lansing from the couch where two armed guards held her, Peter August and Lulu Falconeri.

A guard reached across raising his hand to slap her. "No" Said Shukar.

He turned to his aide. "Have our allies in Moscow agree to send men?"

"No Sir, they are waiting to see what the United Nations will do, it seems having this many Americans hostage in the nation is causing concern."

"Just the three of us?" Molly said smiling.

Lulu mumbled under her breath "Will you stop baiting him."

Peter shook his head. "No, let her they are reluctant to hurt Molly because the Cassadines are somehow connected to the royal family, she is our best option for information."

"I wish it were just you three Princess." Shukar said, refusing to admit that he had overheard them. "But apparently David Gray has allied himself with Sinclair Dunbar, Annie Donnelly of the WSB, Ethan Lovett and Samantha McCall"

"Sam?" Said Molly. "So, you have two Cassadines on your hands."

"She is hardly a Cassadine, Princess as you are well aware." Shukar replied.

"Still" Said Lulu. "Annie is a top WSB, agent and Ethan, is well Ethan."

Shukar pursed his lips. "I find it interesting that you both now have siblings in the midst of this." He paused then looked at his aide. "Take our most elite task force and move them as quickly as possible to reactor one. Take Ms. Falconeri and have her broadcast on a live feed to the skills and bravery of our troops."

"And if I refuse."

"I will kill Mr. August."

"Don't do it Lulu". Peter said.

"Very brave now can we move on." Shukar said. He looked at Molly and spoke to his aide. "When you arrive at the reactor set up a sound system loud enough to be heard by the troops on all sides. Our Princess Cassadine will then announce that the Cassadine branch of the royal family will be supporting the democratic republic. Get an international news feed going. Once Ms. Falconeri is broadcasting and the world listening, The young Princess will tell the world that the Provisional Government is now in control of the nation"

"You mean the Russian Oligarchs you are in debt to are in control of the nation" Molly said.

"Who I am in debt to is not your concern. You will say what I tell you to say."

Molly smiled. "And if I refuse?"

"I will kill Mr. August and Ms. Falconeri."

The truck carrying Ethan Lovett, Annie Donnelly, Sinclair Dunbar and Sam McCall bounced along a semi paved road towards reactor One. In the flat bed in the back the foursome bounced uncomfortable

"So, we are helping this guy?" Sam said in disbelief.

"The opposition has Molly and Lulu. So yeah we are helping this guy" Snapped Ethan. More and more he was finding Sam to be depressing. He had rarely seen someone with the life beaten out of them so much. Yes, the situation was dangerous. Yes, they could die. But they were not dead yet. And while there is life there is hope. Not that one could tell from Sam McCall

That she was beautiful was without a doubt, and Ethan found her brave in an over dramatic sort of way. But she was consistently looking for the gloom in life. A real glass is half full girl.

Had they now agreed to help David Gray regain the throne of Malkooth. Yes, they had even after he had kidnapped them. But he was no longer working with Alexandria Quartermaine a far bigger threat than the quirky slightly insane Gray and they were out of there cell, on the move and well-armed. By any measure this was a serious improvement.

"Yes, we are." Ethan repeated flatly.

"And then what?"

"Well I don't know about you EMO" Annie said, "But I'm going to Disney world."

"I thought it was Disneyland?" Sinclair asked.

"Two different places. "Annie commented.

"I was aware of that."

"STOP." Yelled Sam. "I know this is all a joke to you, but I have children, I have a life, I have people I love, my sister is here and in danger."

Ethan looked at her harder than he had looked at any one in along time. "As is mine." He snapped. "And right now, teaming up with Gray is the best way to get to both of them. "

Sam hoisted herself up and held onto the cab of the truck looking out at the small but well-armed caravan in which they were in the middle.

Sinclair appeared at her side. "My cousin knows how serious this is Samantha he jokes as a means of self-defense"

"And why does Donnelly keep doing it?"

"Annie? It throws people off. She is short feisty, beautiful and as long as she keeps wise cracking most people never realize how dangerous she is until it is too late."

"And you?"

He smiled. "I do not joke, I charm."

Sam scoffed.

_Several Hours Earlier in Port Charles New York_

Fatima sat at a back table at Kelly's diner where many of the residents of Port Charles had gathered to await news on the Malkooth Hostages. When Brooke Bentley entered with Dr. Liesel Obrecht, the two women had locked eyes in disbelief. Fatima had heard the Doctor whisper "Your charge does not appear to be asleep."

Brooke beelined over to Fatima, she spoke carefully because of the other girl. "Dear, your mother will be worried that you are not at home?"

Fatima smiled under her Niqab. "Yes, but she will be comforted that you and Dr. Obrecht are here with me."

Brooke actually chuckled a little, the girl had a bit more back bone then she had thought. "Very well, we will take you home when we are ready to leave?"

'I think so"

Brooke noticed that Liesel had gone over to where her niece Nina sat with Curtis Ashford. She glanced up front, her brother Scott still sat on the same stool by the front counter that she had seen him sitting on hours before. She slowly made her way over to him.

"Where is Valentin?" Liesel asked Nina as Curtis got up and gave her his chair. "Thank you" She said to him Chairs were at a premium in the overcrowded diner.

"No problem" He replied. "I am going to check on Jordan, she is out in the police command vehicle monitoring the internet for any word at all."

Nina smiled. "Go. I will be fine."

She looked at her Aunt as Curtis left. "I hope I will. Valentin is upstairs with Jason and Lucky Spencer and I think they are making plans to try to free the hostages."

Liesel patted Nina's hand. "Jason is quite capable, and Young Spencer seems to have finally come into his own. Valentin could not be in better company in this case."

"I am not doubting his abilities or the abilities of the others, Aunt Liesel. I am concerned that this danger is a pattern in our lives, and I do not like it."

Liesel looked at her niece. "Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. The Cassadines have never had an easy existence, they will not have one going forward. If you cannot handle it then the best thing to do is flee now, dear"

Brooke Bentley came up to Scott and touched his shoulder. "Scotty"

He looked at her and laughed. "Really?"

"Scott" She said sadly.

"Please don't lady. Don't come to me now at this moment when my world is falling apart and think that you can somehow make up for all the other moments you ignored me. Where were you when Karen died? or Logan or Dominique or Lee or Gail? And now because Serena is in trouble you want, what? What is it you want Brooke?"

Brooke Bentley looked over towards where Fatima sat and thought of Alexandria Quartermaine and poor Jennifer Hutchinson. She thought of all the years that had gone by.

"I just want to say I am sorry." She said.

She turned to leave. Scott grabbed her arm and pointed to the empty stool next to him. "Elizabeth went over to GH to check on the kids, you might as well sit and wait like the rest of us. You want a coke or something?"

Brooke smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Olivia Quartermaine looked out at the group of small children, including her own son Leo, sleeping on cots across the playroom of General Hospital's Children's ward. She smiled at her Aunt-in-Law GH Chief of Staff Monica Quartermaine and said. "Bringing all the kids of the families who are awaiting news here to GH to watch them together was a great idea Monica."

Monica smiled. "It was a selfish idea Olivia, between grandchildren and nieces and nephews and children of friends, I am deeply connected to most of these little ones. Having them here where I can watch them, where I know the spirits of Alan and Lila and Edward, Lee, Gail and Steve are watching them makes me feel better."

Monica put her hand around Olivia's shoulder and gave her a hug, "Have you heard anything?"

"No" Olivia said. "Ned headed over to Kelly's a few minutes ago to see what is up. I am sure he will call if there is any news."

Monica nodded.

"Drew will be alright Monica" Olivia said.

"You know "She said sadly. "He came into our lives such a short time ago. But he is the only one left who calls me Mom."

Olivia hugged the older woman as she sobbed.

Lucky, Jason, Mac, Valentin and Jax came down the stairs. Lucky nodded at Soumia and then headed to the back room to brief his mother and the other political figures who were using the pantry as a war room.

Whispers went up around the room but the men, shook off most of the questions. Finally, Jax yelled out. "I believe the Mayor may have a statement shortly. In the meanwhile, please everyone just keep your hopes up and your prayers going."

Mac went over to the table where his wife Felicia sat with their daughter Maxie, Ava Jerome, and of all people Carly Benson.

"Mac what is going on?" Carly asked. Ava looked at Mac's face and put her hand on Carly's arm to hush her.

Mac leaned over and kissed Maxie on the head. "I'm going to go get Peter back for you."

Felicia had a million questions for her husband. But they had been together a long time. Their love had endured separation, infidelity, adventure, passion and the ultimate heartbreak the loss of a child. She had a million questions she did not ask any of them.

Mac leaned his forehead against hers and for a moment the rest of the world vanished as he felt his wife's skin against his. Then he kissed her and said. "I'll be back."

"Of course, you will"

Mac walked out of Kelly's without turning around.

Valentin Cassadine touched his wife's Aunt Liesel on the shoulder and said. "I need not remind you to whom your loyalty is due if this goes incorrectly."

Liesel considered giving him a snarkier answer instead she said. "Of course, Prince Valentin."

"Valentin what is going on?" Nina asked.

"I am going with the others to bring Molly home."

"Just like that?" Nina said.

"Yes."

"No, it is too dangerous. Let Lucky go. Let Jason handle this."

"Molly and Sam, even if she rejects it, are Cassadines. I will not abandoned them."

"Why not? The Cassadine family abandoned you for decades." Nina countered regretting it as soon as she spoke.

Valentin smiled weakly "Yes, they did. But Nina I am not my father a devil. Nor am I a saint. I will never be one and I do not wish to be one. But unlike Mikkos, I do love. I love you. I love my daughter. And I love Molly. I will not be like Mikkos and abandon those I should love."

"But others can do this. Let them!" Nina demanded.

Valentin took her in his arms and kissed her passionately. "Tell Charlotte that I love her very much."

He turned and left as Nina's hand slipped from his arm

Nina turned to Liesel "Why is he doing this?"

Liesel hugged her niece "Because my dear, a Prince Leads from the Front."

Carly got up and raced over to Jason. "What is going on?"

"Lucky has a plan. We are going to go and get Sam and the others." He said as she hugged him.

"On Lucky's plan?" Carly said. "is that wise Look let's go get Sonny, maybe we can convince Max to come back and we can get this done "

Jason took her arms from around his neck. "Max is never coming back. Things have changed. I've changed. Sonny has changed. Lucky has changed. I trust his plan. I don't like all of it, but it is the best way to get Sam and everyone else home safely."

"I don't care about any one but Sam." Carly snapped. "Well maybe Lulu."

Jason shook his head. "We are going to bring them all home. All of them. I trust the men I am going with."

"Is Jax going?"

"Yes."

Carly shook her head. "Bring Sam home and end this silly separation."

Jason saw Rovena standing nearby. She had over heard Carly. He thought it odd that she just smiled.

"Sam and I share a child. I am bringing her home because of Danny, for Scout and because I love her, she is my friend, but we are over Carly. We all have spent too many years in this city going back over the same ground again and again. It is time for all of us to move on."

He kissed her forehead.

Rovena stood in the middle of the diner holding a pot of Coffee. Jason walked over and took the pot from her putting it on a nearby table.

"I never know how to do these things." He said.

"Would you like me to scream and cry and beg you not to go?" Rovena asked touching his face.

"No. That makes it harder."

"Good because I am not going to do that" She said with a little sob. "I am going to tell you that if you leave me in this insane town with your mentally deranged family and friends, I will track you down, dig you up and kill you myself."

Jason chuckled. "They are not all deranged. Stick by Elizabeth, and Lucky's girl. Lean on Michael and even Ned."

"And your mother?"

Jason sighed. "We need to make that introduction when I get back."

"She has been in. We have spoken. But yes, it's shameful to me that you have not made the effort."

Jason was more than a foot taller than the diminutive girl. He sunk to his knees resting his head between her breast and stomach. He kissed her there. "I will be back as soon as I can."

She kissed the top of his head as he stood up. She jumped into his arms and kissed him hard.

And then he was gone

Jax stood out in front of Kelly's diner watching Dillon Quartermaine broadcast over the new Aurora media streaming service. Hayden Barnes came over to him and said "So?"

"So, I need to take a quick trip. Keep broadcasting. Try to spell him before he falls down"

"With who?"

"Find someone."

"Ah a star is born." She said with a grin. "I'll figure it out."

"I know you will."

She looked at him then reached her arms around his neck and kissed him. When the kiss was finished Jax smiled at her and said. "What was that for?"

"Every hero needs something to come home to."

Robert Scorpio came from the back room one step ahead of Lucky Spencer. He went over to the table where Maxie Felicia and Ava sat.

"You too?" Maxie asked him

"I got the easy job kid." He said grinning.

Ava stood up. "So, this is what being the girlfriend of a hero is like?'

"That luv begs two questions: Am I a hero? And are you my girlfriend?"

Ava kissed him and said. "Yes."

Lucky caught Soumia's eye and held up one finger. He watched the diner for a second and saw Cameron bringing water over to Alexis and Kristina as they waited.

"Cam, a minute" He yelled. The boy came over.

"Hey, what's up?"

Lucky turned his son around to look out at the diner. He whispered in his ear. "If this goes south, look out for them."

Cameron turned his head and said. "Mom and my brothers?"

"Yes, and them, Cam, all of them, go to your Grandfather and learn how but then come home, you are a Hardy and a Webber and a Spencer. Look out for them." He kissed the top of Cameron's head. "All of them."

Lucky turned around and walked back to Soumia. "Hey"

"Hey." She said.

"I need to go and do a thing." He said smiling.

"I kind of figured."

"You know everything you are to me, right?"

"Everything I am to you; you are to me and more." Soumia said hugging him.

"There is a lot to say."

"And years to say it."

Lucky nodded and kissed her. "I love you."

"I know. I love you too"

"I know."

"Bring them home. Have faith in yourself. Never let it waiver. When Jason and Valentin question you, do not let them shake your faith. When Annie gets snippy and Lulu gets cranky, do not let them make you doubt yourself. When everyone is saying you are wrong know that in your heart, I believe you are right. Then do the right thing and bring them home."

"I know what to do." He said. "All my self-doubt left the day I met you." He paused. "You know there is a mission objective."

"Of course." She said. "Do the others know?"

"It is far to difficult to explain, they would not hear what I was saying."

"There is a moment when you need to know that it is always the greatest good for the greatest number."

Lucky smiled. "The needs of the many out weight the needs of the few or the one? Miss Spock?"

She took his hand and placed it on her heart. "Not when I am the one. You come home Muhzuz, You come home to me, and marry me, and make me your wife. You hear me. Damn the mission objective. Damn all of that to hell. You come home to me."

Lucky kissed her once more "I will. After all we still need to grab a nightcap."

She stood watching him leave long after he was out of sight. She spotted Rovena staring out the same door and walked over. She put her arm around the other woman's waist.

"So much alike" Soumia said.

"And yet so different." Rovena commented.

"Allah has blessed us Sister, with extraordinary men." Soumia commented.

"Remind me again that it is a blessing and not a curse."

_Now over Malkooth:_

"And we are in Malkooth Air Space in thirty seconds" Mac said over the loudspeaker.

In the back of the plane Lucky double-checked Jason's chute. Jason doubled checked the machine gun strapped to his back. Valentin and Lucky were clipped to a wire on the side of the craft. As Valentin opened the plane door Lucky looked at Jason and yelled above the breeze "On Mac's Mark. You ready."

Jason smiled. Lucky was always unnerved when Jason smiled. "Yeah. Count twenty then pull the cord."

"Yeah. You've done this before right?"

Over the speaker Mac said "Three…Two…"

"No" Said Jason as he leapt out the door.

"Pull the bay shut" Jax yelled "We are being warned off by Air Traffic Control. Valentin you are up next, Less than two minutes."

"You set?" Lucky asked.

"Yes, and I have done this before. "Valentin took his pistol out and checked it quickly. "Ha, Morgan got an Uzi."

"You are a diplomat." Lucky said with a grin.

Over the speaker Mac said "Five…four."

Lucky pulled the door open and Valentin said "I damn well hope I am" as he leapt out.

"Lucky "Said Mac "We have incoming from the Provisional Air Force; you need to leap early. You are four clicks off the last sighting of Gray's Forces. WSB tracking, says head south on landing. Go in three."

The plane swooped suddenly down and Lucky almost slipped out the open door.

"Sorry about that, we need to take evasive. You got to go now Lucky."

Lucky hit the side button which would slam the bay doors shut thirty seconds after he leapt. Then he jumped.

In the cockpit Jax looked down out the window. "There goes Lucky."

Mac pointed straight ahead "And here comes what passes as the Malkooth air force."

"They are demanding we follow them and land." Jax said listening on his earpiece.

Mac checked the instruments "We are fifty-seven miles to the border and another one hundred after that to the Cassadine Airfield."

Jax looked at the fuel gage which was deep in the red. "Ah hell who wants to live forever any way."

The ground came up far faster than Jason expected. He barely remembered to bend his knees as Lucky had told him. He hit hard and rolled. He pulled off his chute rolling it into a ball as he did. He spotted some woods a hundred yards away and grabbed the chute dragging it out of the open view.

The chute hidden he slipped on his night vision goggles and looked around. The Castle in which the Basil Cult was allegedly hold up was about a half mile to his east. Suddenly in front of him came a large explosion. He turned his goggles and used the magnification to see what was going on. Two large trucks were in flames and more than a dozen men were firing on a position just south of the trucks.

Jason could see a single man firing back. The man was too far away for Jason to be sure, but the singular shape was not all that different that his own silhouette. Instinct told him it was Drew. He raced towards his brother.

As Valentin floated, he had to give Scorpio and Jax credit they had gotten him not only to the capital Goremia, but directly by the main plaza within sight of the Parliament building.

He unfastened his chute as the local police came running up to him guns drawn, they were shouting in a mixture of Albanian and Greek, a local dialect the linguist Valentin assumed. He sank to his knees and put his hands on his head as he yelled loudly in Greek.

"I am Prince Valentin Mikkosovich Cassadine, a relative of the Malkooth Royal Family. By royal rights and the degrees of hospitality I demand an audience with Prime Minster Shukar, to discuss my niece the Princess Molly Richovana Cassadine."

The armed police stood around looking at him guns drawn but absolutely silent. Well, Valentin thought at least they have not shot me yet.

Lucky checked his GPS. Just his luck, he was further off then Mac had suggested he would be. He stood for a moment and debated heading south towards where the last report of the captured hostages had come from or north towards reactor one where reports said everyone was gathering.

If he went south and the hostages were there, he could easily free them, since there would be nothing but a skeleton force watching them, but he would miss the opportunity to capture Gray who was surely with his forces heading towards reactor one.

He hated having lied to Jason, but the truth was, as much as he wanted to save Sam and his brother and partner the mission objective was Gray. Lucky looked sadly south and then set off at a steady jog north towards reactor one.

As Jason got closer to the firing, he realized he needed to be sure that the singular man was Drew and that he did not get shot by friendly fire in the heat of battle. More forces were arriving over a hill top and the sole man's position would soon be over run. He thought for a minute and then called out "Monica sent me" In a loud voice and ran towards the man.

Drew heard the English the first since he had left the castle. "Monica sent me" He saw the man cutting across the field and laid down suppressing fire until he had managed to jump behind the stone wall where Drew was hidden.

He smiled at his twin. "Hello Jason, good to see you."

Jason nodded. "You to."

"Clever call."

Jason shrugged. "I knew it would get your attention."

"How'd you get here?" Drew asked.

"Lucky put together a rescue team."

"Good the Provisionals have Molly and Lulu." Drew said.

"And David Gray has Sam" Jason said.

"No."

The two men looked at each other as each thought of the woman they had both loved.

"We need to get to her" Drew said.

"Lucky has her. My mission is getting you and Serena." Jason said.

"You drew the short straw; I knew this was going to get hot, but this is more heat than we thought when I set out."

Bullets whizzed by them. "What is going on?" Jason asked. "Why are you out here?"

"Basil has Serena, he sent me out here to create a distraction while he gets his forces out and heads them towards Reactor one. "

"Have you created enough of a distraction?"

"Yes and no. They are certainly coming at us, but there are far more of them then I thought, they will over run this position within minutes. I am afraid you came all this way to get killed with me."

Jason nodded. "Well…. I guess…Blaze of Glory?"

Drew slapped his brother on the back. "My God you are developing a sense of humor. Now we have to get out of here."

Drew peered over the wall. Then popped back down as bullets whizzed overhead. "Bad news just on a quick pop up I counted thirty."

Jason looked and said. "On three?"

"One" Said Drew

"Two" Said Jason

And on the count of three, the Sons of Alan Quartermaine leapt up and made their stand.

Labi Ormand had been the aide de camp to Prime Minster Shakur since he rise in political power following the death of King Eric. He knew had deeply in debt the nation was to the Russian Oligarchy. He also knew how much of a personal fortune Shakur, himself and other member of the ruling class had accumulated in such a short period of time. As his troops moved to secure reactor one, he knew that he was not about to lose that fortune to a rag tag bunch of monarchists or some odd cult offering their nation to vampires of all things.

He all but dragged Lulu Falconeri to a concrete parapet some sixty feet high and jutting out from the stone formation of the reactor cooling towers. His men hastily set up some sound and camera equipment. He handed a microphone to Lulu and said. "Report on the Glories of the Provisional Army."

'Who the hell is going to hear?" Yelled Lulu.

"That is not your concern."

"I am not an on-air reporter" Lulu said.

"You are not a breathing human being if you do not do what you are told!"

Valentin Cassadine was led roughly into the office of Gregor Shakur. "Uncle" Molly yelled as he was shoved on to the couch next to her.

"Molly" Valentin said with a wide smile. "Peter. Have you both been treated well?"

"Yes. "Peter said as Molly hugged her Uncle "As well as can be expected."

"Now now, Mr. August. You have been fed, you are in a comfortable office, I have been nothing but kind to you. Given how much damage you personally have done to this country I would think you would be more thankful."

Valentin got up from the couch. A guard pointed his rifle at him but Valentin simply held out his hand to Shakur. "I am Valentin Cassadine, Mister Prime Minister, it is a pleasure to meet you. "

Shakur scoffed but shook Valentin's hand. "Welcome to the new Malkooth, Prince Valentin. May I ask what prompts such a daring attempt to get my attention."

"Well Sir, you have as your guests three people who mean very much to me, and I have come to see what we can do to work an amicable solution for them to return home."

"You are a brave man Prince Valentin and a fortunate one, I could have had you shot in the plaza."

"The blood stains would have ruined such ancient stones, Sir." Valentin said with a smile. "I am happy my niece and my protégé are safe, May I ask where Ms. Falconeri is?"

"He sent her with his troops to reactor one, Uncle" Molly said.

"Oh?" Said Valentin. "But she is well?"

Shakur nodded. "She is simply doing her job as a reporter and reporting on the glorious victory that will soon be the provisional governments."

'Ah, I see." Said Valentin. "Well then if the Provisional Government is on the edge of such a great victory, perhaps we can just leave now and let you to the business of running your nation."

Shukar sat down behind his desk and motioned Valentin to a seat in front of him. "I am afraid right now that is not possible. I need your niece and I must put Mr. August on trial."

Valentin calculated quickly which to ask first. "Why? What has Peter done?"

"His reactors have funneled money into keeping the monarchy in power. "

"His reactors?" Valentin said raising an eyebrow

"I keep telling you that I did not even know I owned them" Peter snapped.

"Hold on one moment Peter." Valentin said. "Sir, just to shift for a second why do you need Molly?"

"David Gray and his faction have recently come into possession of the Sword of Iskandar as you know it is a symbol of royal power in our nation. He has used it to rally the peasants to the cause of the monarchy. I intend to crush him and seize that accursed sword."

"And then?" Valentin said.

"Your niece, and for that matter yourself, are related to the royal family via your father's maternal line. I intend to give Molly the sword and have her destroy it publicly thus ending once and for all royalty in our land."

"Well then I see your desire to have both Molly and Peter, but you may as well free them and simply keep me." Valentin said.

"Uncle?"

"Valentin?" Peter said.

"And why would I do that Prince Valentin?"

"Well clearly I am a better royal substitute then Molly. And Peter is telling the truth, he does not own those reactors I do."

"You?" Shakur said.

"How?" Said Peter.

"Sir" A technician said to Ormand. "We cannot get a feed, whatever we allow her to broadcast will hardly go beyond the range of the mountains."

"What? Why?"

"The reactor interferes with the signal. Perhaps if we had a cell phone, we could feed it through a messenger application on the phone and out to the world."

"And how many people outside of Malkooth do you have on your phone fool?"

"None"

Ormand cursed. "We were better off back at the parliamentary building at least there we were watching the American news. We could have called in. "He looked at Lulu "Even to your friend broadcasting from Port Charles."

"My Friend?"

"Yes, I forget you did not see, some young man Dullard Quartermaine or something has been broadcasting alive fee from Port Charles. Many of the larger American news services have been picking up his broadcasts."

"Dillon?"

"Yes, that is it Dillon Quartermaine."

Lulu thought for a moment. "Do you have the phone you took from me?"

Ormand looked at his technician who nodded yes.

"Get it" said Lulu. "I have Dillon on messenger If you allow me to call him directly you will have your news feed."

Ormand thought for a moment. "Go get her phone."

In Port Charles an exhausted Dillon Quartermaine answered the same questions from the National reporter that he had been answering for the better part of the day. He glanced behind him at Kelly's. he had thought that as time ticked away the crowd would grow smaller but if anything, there seemed to be more and more people arriving by the minute

Hayden had spelled him and he had attempted to use the break to speak with the girl Fatima and find out more about her relationship with Alexandria Quartermaine but the girl was sitting with Scotty Baldwin and Brooke Bentley, who apparently was Scotty's sister and he never got the chance to say more than hello.

Now as the national feed ended and Dillon watched his phone rang. He glanced at the number. Lulu

"Lulu? Are you all right?" He said answering the phone.

Lucky came up and over a ridge. He lay flat on his stomach and took out his goggles to get a good view of the road below. An odd caravan of Jeeps, Trucks, people on horses and men marching made its way down a road that was little more than a trail. The procession was not making very good time. The men marching did not seem very disciplined and so the riders had to keep moving back and forth along the line to spur them on.

Lucky spotted the royal flag of Malkooth flying from a Jeep towards the front of the line. He could not be sure but a man looking very much like David Gray sat in the passenger seat.

Lucky scanned the rest of the line. He focused on a flat bed truck about six vehicles back from the lead. A dark-haired woman stood holding onto the cab of the truck. A rifle on her back.

"Sam?"

Lucky sighed. He scanned the back of the line and then as the caravan was all but past him, he got up and sprinted down the hillside. A rider had dismounted towards the tail end of the convoy. He looked as if he were checking his horses' shoe.

Lucky took a truncheon from his hip. He snuck behind the man and just before he mounted the horse Lucky hit him on the back of his head.

"Sorry pal, you'll wake up with a headache but by then we will either be on our way home, or dead."

Lucky mounted the horse and fell in line behind the rest of the caravan.

"I keep losing her signal" Dillon wailed to Hayden. I need a power boost.

"Hold on." Hayden walked across the area in front of Kelly's to the police command vehicle and knocked.

Jordan Ashford popped her head out. Hayden quickly explained what was up,

Jordan motioned Dillon and his camera crew over.

"Dillon" Lulu could be heard saying. "Can you hear me? Can you see me?"

Dillon looked at Jordan. "The connection gets too weak. I keep losing her. If only Spinelli was here."

Jordan shook her head. "Screw that. I like Spinelli, but we don't need him. "

She came back with a long coaxial cable that she threw to Dillon's tech. "Attach that to your receiver, I will boost the signal with everything that this mobile command center has."

In Malkooth Ormand was losing his patience. He was here to fight a war not to play nurse maid to a reporter.

"Dillon?" Lulu called holding her phone in front of her. Suddenly he was clear. She handed the phone to Ormand's technician. "Keep that focused on me" She said.

"Lulu?" Dillon said.

She smiled at him "This is Lulu Falconeri broadcasting live from the nation of Malkooth as the dawn breaks on the day of the final battle between the monarchy and the forces of the Provisional Government."

Jason and Drew had lost track of how many rounds they had fired or how many men had died. As they both finally exhausted their weapons, they ducked down again behind the wall.

Drew took out a 45 automatic and Jason a 357 magnum.

"That's all we got left?" Drew asked.

"Yes."

"Okay ready" Drew said.

Jason turned his head. "Hold on. Do you hear that?"

Drew smiled. "No, I don't hear anything and that is likely a good thing."

The brothers lifted their heads above the wall then slowly stood up.

A large Tank was parked directly in front of them. Basil DeLescarte stood in the turret. Livvie and Serena balanced on the threads on either side.

A transport truck pulled up next to the tank as Drew yelled to Serena. "Hey Honey where did you get a tank?"

Before Serena could answer the passenger door of the truck opened and a woman dressed in camo pants and a thick military jacket said

"You can thank me for that. It is good to see you both cousins."

Jason looked and said "Alexandria Quartermaine?"

"Yes" Said Alexandria. "My you two look so much like Alan."


End file.
